Mind & Mood
Migraines: Can dementia, stroke or heart attack be next?
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New Harvard research confirms some links, rejects others.
Two new studies from Harvard examine the possible associations between migraine headaches and other conditions. One study offers encouraging news: the headaches will not hurt thinking skills. Another study suggests a warning: the headaches, when accompanied by aura, may signal an increased risk of heart attacks and stroke. "After high blood pressure, migraine with aura was the second strongest single contributor to the risk of heart attacks and strokes," says study author Dr. Tobias Kurth, adjunct associate professor of epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health. "It was followed by diabetes, family history, smoking, and obesity."
Migraines and dementia
A migraine is a throbbing headache that begins mainly on one side of the head, often accompanied by nausea. It can last from four to 72 hours, and it can be made worse by loud noise and bright light. Sometimes people who get migraines see pulsating lights or black spots or have blurry, distorted vision shortly before the headache kicks in. That's called migraine with aura.
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